Atomizing and humidifying apparatus



Dec. 8,1931. 5. c. CUTLER ATOIIZING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1928 MM ATTORNEYS.

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Patented Dec. 8, 1 931 I i v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sammn c. comma, or mummy HILL, NEW mnsny n'romzme mm n'omnrr'rme APPARATUS Application filed May 1925. Serial No. 277,921.

This invention relates to methodsinof and large 1globules of moisture into infinitesimal means for atomizing and the brea 'n up partic es. of liquids such as water. a A further feature covers the arrangement The general object of the invention is to of the pump whereby a train of liquid will 5 provide simple and compact apparatus for IfJe nlevpttipl on both the inner and outer surhumidif in air or other ases. The appaaces o t e pump and impinge over a multiratus is arr nged to efi'ect the contacting of edged apron integral with and formed as gases with a liquid broken up in a plurality part of the periphery of the ump. As a of forms. In order to obtain maximum effiresult, a finer spray will be pro need as well 1 ciency in the humidification and charging of as two sheets of spray by the one pump.

' gases, as well as in removing undesirable Auxiliary nlileansflor firther bgegking up1 the moisture entrained in the gases it may be spray may ere a so provi e to pro uce highly advantageous to prodlice various a fog so fine that its absorption by unsatu- 1, Stu-1t? f 2? d t ti t t f du i a raised gases, IliJfiltllStfillSlDE their degree of 5 mois are con 1 ion approxima mg 0g. pe ura 1 0n W1 e 1mme 1a e.

plicant therefore proposes to provide a com- The mv entlon acoordmglycomprises the bination of apparatus capable of subjecting features of construction, combmations or elegases to a lurality of s ra of diff nt ments, and arrangement of parts,wh1ch will neness, Th gases ay b passed thr u h be exemplified 1n the constructlon hereinafter 20 strata of spray and fog in succession and fig h i t e s p 9 E e pp n of with extreme rapidity and a maximum 0 ,1 W e 111 10a e m e c aims.

eificiency, at very low cost and at a minimum 1 1 f l r .HHd I'Sta-{ldmg 0f the nature of expense, to b thoroughly hu idifi d d, and ob ects of the lnvention reference should saturated for any given temperature.

be had to the following detailed descript on A feature of the IDVfBDtlOIl res des 12a the sil en 1n conneituip wlth th a p y g provision o a series 0 pumps arrang to v g In W 9 2 discharge a plurality of streams of spray at g 1 IS wn hr ugh a devlce moordifferent levels within a-humidifying appap a g o term of the nventlon; ratus. Meansincombination with the pumps g- 2 & s l tlon lllll tra lng the are suitably located .in the path of the 5 my m ination of a plurality of pumps with so andtdesignegsto furtllipr breartifi up into aux hpry means for breaking up spray mto ar ic es; aresu anyo e pumps may a Q p he used to produce sheet spray and mist at 3 dehall of P P 1h comhlhatloh the same time. The auxiliary apparatus for f ahxlhal'y haflies, the roduc producing particles of greater fineness may, h of spray Slde? of the ha 85 and 85 ifdesired,be variously positionedin-the path on t q f f d of the gases passing through the device. p I zgg g g g g gigzg g ggg i i oiiaiiiiiiilis iiiiilii ifi w hiii511 1233 Wfhich g g g {f ie ment of gases through the device and route g gs? 0 9 mt er r0 en up y auxl wry them into the paths of the spray and mist. T baflie mains servigs dual purpose m that similar designations referring to similar Its P -P P 1S filmed Serrhted parts, numeral6 illustrates asuitable humidipetticoat hav ng a plurality of units radially f m deYice' Th.e deYic-e may be made POSltloned wlth pe t the axls of varlous sizes "for lndustrial purposes, or in 5 g y m p d 1 11 a Emall cloniplacz form hfor use alsj a hcinfilhuimidis a an a ap e 0 row aspray 1n ap ane er. n e orm s own in 1g. e evlce substantially perpendicular to the units is provided with a motor 7 suitably attached which thereupon atomize the comparatively to top 8 which encloses the device. Bottom 1 Considering all the figures simultaneously,

9 may be formed so that sides 10 fit therein, as illustrated, and the 11 per periphery of the sides may be turned to better mount the top. The periphery also supports a partition wall 11 having its lower edge in the form of a series of baflles 12. The motor shaft mounts fan 13 and spider 14 to which is secured pump 15. The pump may be formed as illustrated conically in shape with a substantially flat and elongated surface periphery. A supply of water or other liquid may be suitab connected to maintain a desired level in the bottom of the device. The device may also be equipped with a heating coil 16 to temper the liquid.

The side walls are provided with openings 17 and the top covering has exhaust openings 18. When the motor is started, the rotation of the pump will cause the water to be drawn through opening 19 up the sides of the pump and due to the centrifugal force, discharged from the periphery of the pump. The water will leave the periphery in the form of a sheet which immediately breaks up into spray 20.

The bafiles are formed with their surfaces preferably radially disposed with respect to the axis of the pump. Inasmuch as similar parts of partition 11 are concentric with respect to the axis of the pump, each of the bafiles is equi-distant from the axis and periphery of the pump. The spray, therefore, impinges against baflles 20 with equal force to effect an identical result at every point of contact with the baflies.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the liquid whirled from the periphery is in the form of a spray 20. However, upon contacting with the radially disposed bafiies the spray will be further broken up into the form of a fog or mist 21. While the bafiies in Fig. 1 are shown substantially flat and radially disposed with respect to the pump axis, they may be variously designed to produce disintegration of the particles of water in spray 20 to a desired degree of fineness.

In operation, the gas such as air will be drawn within the device through intake ports 17 due to the action of fan 13. As illustrated, the gas will be routed between side walls 10 of the device and partition 11 and hence forced through mist 21. After passing through the mist the action of the fan draws the gases through spray 20 within the partition wall 11 and out from the device through exhaust ports 18. Since the mist or fog 21 is extremely fine a maximum of absorption by the gases will take place as they pass through this mist. The further passage of thegases through the spray serves to clear them of entrained moisture by flocculation. The heavier the sheet of spray the less entrained moisture will remain in the gases. It is of note also that by varyingthe opening 19 in the bottom of the pump the amount of moisture entrained in the air can be varied and consequently controlled.

In Fig. 2 the arrangement comprises a series of pumps 15 suitably attached to spider 14 mounted on the shaft of motor 7, on which is also mounted fan 13. The pumps 15 are variously designed to draw water on the inner or both surfaces of each of them. In the arrangement of Fig. 2 the pumps are illustrated as adapted to pull a stream on their inner surfaces, to be whirled from their peripheries in the form of sheet spray 20. It

is evident that any number of sheets of spray can be thus produced depending upon the number of pumps. Applicant has successfully used a series of nine pumps. To further eflect the breaking up of spray 20, bafiles 12 are suitably positioned about the periphery of the lowest of the pumps shown in Fig. 2. The bafiies completely surround the periphery of this pump arid effect a result comparable to that produced by the bafiies 12 of Fig. 1. In this instance, however, the baffles are supported by a suitable base 22 mounted on rods or the like 23. Each of the baflies is suitably spaced from its adjacent ones so that the spray whirled from the periphery of the pump will contact with the battles and be atomized inthe form of a fog or mist 21*. The bafiies shown in Fig. 2 and more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 may be in the form of two concave surfaces meeting at one edge, the edge being comparatively sharp and directly in the path of the spray coming from the pump. It has been found that by making the bafiies concave from the outer top and bottom edges to the middle meeting edge, and also from the side edges, a concave surface will be produced substantially throughout the inside of the baffles and eii'ect a more thorough atomization of the impinging spray. It is apparent that baffles 12 of Fig. 2 may not only be positioned about one of the pumps but may be arranged to cooperate with any of the pumps in any desired arrangement. Thus, the baflies may be positioned about the peripheries of successive pumps or may be positioned to break up alternate sheets of spray, etc. For many purposes it is highly desirable to have a com bination wherein alternate strata of coarse and fine spray, or spray and fog, are produced in a device using a multi-stage pumping arrangement.

In the operation of the device of Fig. 2, incoming air or gas through intake ports 17 is drawn upwardly by fan 13 through fog 21' and then through sheets of spray 20 to be exhausted from the device through openings 18*. The gases will thus first pass through the fog and then through the sheets of spray,

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in combination with auxiliar atomizing baflles. The liquid is whirled rom periphery 24 in the form of a spray 25. Upon contacting with radially disposed baflies 26, further breaking up takes place to produce mist or fog 27. This method can be used in the multi-stage type as well as in the specific arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to produce alternate strata of coarse and fine spray or mist in any desired combination.

In Fig. 4 pump 28 is formed with an apron 29 integral with the periphery of the pump. With this type of pump, moisture is drawn upwardly on the inner surface and over edge 30 of the apron. Edge 30 may be made thin so that the liquid thrown from the edge will be broken up to a greater degree of fineness than is usually obtained by whirling from the periphery of a comparatively fiat distributing surface.

In Fig. 5 the pump 31 is of a design in which liquid may be drawn upwardly on both innerand outer surfaces. This pum also has an apron 32 formed integral with t e periphery. The one pump will, therefore,

throw a plurality of sheets of spray. As shown, auxiliary baflies 33 are positioned adjacent the apron so that the sprays coming from them may be further broken up into mist or fog 34- It is obvious that the bafiles may be arranged so that instead of the sprays contacting with the concave surfaces 35 they may each contact with a knife edge 36 suitably designed and positioned to meet a sheet of spray and cause its further atomization. Furthermore, the pump of Fig. 5 may be arranged so that but one of the sheets of spray is further atomized and the other left undisturbed. As a result a sheet if spray and a strata of fog will be formed to produce a result comparable to that efiected in a multistage device.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompany ing drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what if claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. in a device for huinidifying gases, pumps comprising baffles, means for rotating the pumps. liquid reservoir in the device, means whereby some of said pumps serve to produce a moisture condition approximating m5 fog, and other f said pumps produce moisture condition approximating spray, the fog and spray forming a series of strata superposed one above the other.

2. Means for increasing the moisture content of gases, comprising a container having a reservoir for liquid, pumping means adapted to rotate in the liquid and produce spray, baffle means for breaking up the spray into moisture of finer particles, said bafile means being adapted to be positioned to permit gases to be drawn through the container and contact first with the finer spray and then pass through the coarser spray, said spray being in the form of sheets of moisture, each of which is substantially of uniform con,- sistency and said container walls providing means for returning to the reservoir the entrained moisture precipitated due to contact of the gases with the coarser spray.

3. A device of the character described hav ing a pump, an apron integral with the periphery of the pump and presenting a plurality of distributing edges for liquid supplied by the pump, said pump bein designed to supply a plurality of sheets of water to the apron, said apron being adapted to produce sheets of water in the device at different levels.

f. A device of the character described having a pump, an apron integral with the pcriphery of the pump and presenting a plurality of distributing edges for liquid supplied by the pump, said pump'being designed to supply a plurality of sheets of water to the apron and means comprising baffles adjacent the distributin edges of said apron for breaking the liquid received therefrom into finely divided particles.

5. A device of the character described comprising a container for liquid a pump within said container, an apron integral with the periphery of the pump and presenting a plurality of distributing edges for liquid supplied by. said pump, said pum being designed to supply a plurality of sheets of Water to the apron, an annular deflector plate extending inwardly from the wall of said container andnieans foriadmitting air within said container below ,said deflector plate and routing it through the sheets of liquid created by said apron. 1

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 

